Trend data on seizures suggest that the trafficking in (and misuse of) pharmaceutical opioids increased strongly over the last decade, reaching record levels in 2024.The largest volumes of pharmaceutical opioids were seized in Africa (60 per cent – mostly in West and Central Africa) and Asia (33…
While remaining at low levels in recent years, seizures of plant-based NPS are increasingly dominated by kratom, followed by khat.In contrast to the upward trend in seizures of synthetic NPS, seizures of plants-based drugs fluctuated while remaining at low levels over the 2021-2024 period. Overall…
Seizures of synthetic NPS have trended upwards since 2018 – though they still remain below the peak reported in 2012.The number of countries reporting seizures of synthetic NPS rose from, on average, just 5 over the period 2000-2004 to 80 over the period 2010-2014, before peaking over the period…
Responses to drug use vary widely across countries; drug trafficking usually results in longer sentences.Responses to the non-medical use of drugs range from no penalty to a custodial sentence. The offence rarely carries a custodial sentence among reporting countries in the Americas, while…
Men account for the vast majority of drug offences, though some gender differences exist in outcomes.Globally, about 9 out of 10 people in contact with the criminal justice system for criminalized drug offences were men in 2024. For both drug trafficking and possession for personal use, the share…
Coca bush cultivation and potential cocaine manufacture reached record highs in 2024The global area under coca cultivation reached a record 385,100 hectares in 2024 – almost triple the 2014 level – while global illicit cocaine manufacture reached 4,100 tons (range: 3,800-4,700 tons) in 2024, more…
The weight of cocaine seizures increased by 70 per cent between 2020 and 2024, reflecting an ongoing expansion of both the supply and demand for cocaine at the global level.
Seizures of opiates, expressed in heroin equivalents, fell by 65 per…
The dark web, consisting of a multitude of darknet markets, is part of the deep web, and can be used for a large number of illegal activities, including drug trafficking.The dark web is part of the deep web and can be accessed using specialized tools such as the TOR browser; while access itself is…
